Description - To Improve the Academy by Matthew Kaplan

An annual publication of the Professional and Organizational Development (POD) Network in Higher Education, volume 18 of To Improve the Academy is a collection of articles that reflect upon the changing priorities within faculty development. While exploring traditional faculty and instructional development topics, the authors emphasize a movement away from individual service and toward a focus on organizational issues and long-term collaborations. In total, this book serves to reexamine the academy's priorities, values, and vision for the future.
The book is divided into three sections:* Section I, Organizational Change in the Academy and in POD: examines the role of multiculturalism in faculty development* Section II, Collaboration and Partnerships: describes how programs can be strengthened by involving students and faculty and encouraging collaborative efforts between educational developers and faculty* Section III, Examining Assumptions About Teaching and Faculty Development: focuses on the need to integrate teaching, research, and service by examining faculty interactions with students The articles featured in To Improve the Academy, Volume 18 are designed to challenge readers to think carefully about how and why they work as they do in order to grapple with emerging changes in higher education. The book offers an essential resource for improvement in higher education to faculty and instructional development staff, department chairs, deans, student services staff, chief academic officers, and educational consultants.

Author Biography - Matthew Kaplan

MATHEW KAPLAN is an Instructional consultant, Center for research on Learning and teaching, University of Michigan. DEVORAH LIEBMAN is Director of teaching and learning, Center for Academic Excellence, Portland State University.